Results drive us. Reaping benefits not only gives us a sense of achievement but also motivates us to strive for more. Growth is the insignia of life and keeps us going, as it should. However, not everything we do will be enjoyed by us in this lifetime. We need to plant some trees, the fruits of which we may never see.
In the continuous flow of life, there is much we have inherited from the previous generation, and much we are responsible for leaving for the next generation. We represent the present link in the past-present-future chain. Accepting with gratitude what we have received and leaving with responsibility for the future will help us commit ourselves.
Gratification of our desires can be a strong motivator, of course, dangerous if we are not careful and aware. Just living for this can often make our decisions short-term oriented. However, we know from experience that progress is made when we commit to long-term value creation. Even as we enjoy our lives in the here and now, we need to re-invest part of our time and energies in creating things, the fruits of which we may not see.
It is not that we need to deprive ourselves to provide for the future, that would create a sense of entitlement in the next generation, and we will be doing them more harm than good. Nor should we feel it is a sacrifice – that will be an expression of our ego. It will only happen if it flows from love.
Today when we feel blessed, partly because of someone else’s efforts before us, we need to remind ourselves of a simple fact – life is a balance of enjoying the fruits we are blessed with and at the same time finding it in ourselves to plant some trees, the fruits of which we may never see.
(Picture – An installation at the Kala Ghoda Fair, Mumbai )
So eloquently put Vivek.
In this age of instant gratification, it’s so important to plant such trees, unconditionally.